Mulino Ruatti

THE RUATTI MOLINO

The Ruatti Molino is an old mill for grinding the grain running with the power of water. The Mill is at the beginning of the valley, in the hamlet of Pracorno. There is no definite information on the date of its construction, but according to some studies may date the end of 1700. The grinding stone is dated 1813, and the frescoes on the facade, with the image of Madonna di Caravaggio and Santa Caterina d’Alessandria, the patron of millers, is labeled 1830. In the 80s the Province of Trento has purchased the mill by the family Ruatti. It was later restored by the Superintendence for Architectural Heritage. It 'was opened to the public in the autumn of 2009. On 16 July 2010, the provincial government has donated the Mill to the Town of Rabbi to ensure better management of the asset and an incentive to local tourism development. The type of cultural property, a water mill, makes it, in fact, strongly linked to the local community both for its location and for its history.

Today it remains the only evidence of a long tradition, begun in 1200, of the mills along the stream Rabbies related to traditional crops.

Restoration

The renovation project of the mill was based on a substantially full recovery of the building, with particular attention to the technical and productive. The outer wooden wheel was rebuilt, while the internal gears were partially recovered, including the vertical shaft, and partly rebuilt because it was too degraded, for example the teeth. The whole apparatus is still capable of moving the grindstone with the previous work of rehabilitation of the aqueduct, which was destroyed by a flood of Rabbies.

Were also retrieved the wooden balcony, and inside the old wooden floors. Also recovered was the old barn with mangers, while the small farm, which was attributable to the mill, was used as an office for the reception of visitors.

The visit

The exhibition offers the visitor a kind of place of memory, where is presented a general overview of rural society and rural economy of Val di Rabbi, particularly from the perspective of the activity that took place in the mill, through the display of objects for daily use, minimizing media and with the background of verbal comments spoken by the local amateur theater group "I Chiosi e Tasi".

The Hall of Milling

The first room where the visitor is accompanied is the heart of the mill, the milling room, where they are, still working the stone mill for grinding grain and for barley, while in the middle of the room, is a millstone grain of the beginning of the roller900.

The plan of the stables

Leaving the Hall of Milling and entering in the home are on the ground floor entrance with the carpenter's bench, a fountain, an old fireplace where the cheese was made and was also washed the clothes, the chariot and various agricultural Lawn for the wood processing .

To one side there are the stables for cattle, still with original mangers and a wooden sculpture depicting a traditional breed and various tools, the stables for the horses and the cellar.

The dwelling house

On the first floor there is an apartment with two bedrooms, a kitchen and the “stua”.

The kitchen: on the left there is the old typical fireplace, with vitrified tiles. Under a window there is a sink. Along the frescoed walls are placed several pieces of furniture of the period, accompanied by everyday objects like plates and copper pots.

Master bedroom: attractiveness of the hall is the large bed in the center. The headboard is carved and polished wood, while in the corner of the room you can see an old wardrobe. On the same wall opens a tiny window that was used to monitor any visitors. There is also a wooden old table with his old chair, which is decorated with various inlays. The tiled stove was used to heat the room. This is exposed and still present in the room.

Small bedroom: there are few elements: the bed, a chair mad of carved and polished wood and a bowl with stand, with various linen towels. The room's ceiling had fallen and was restored. Opposite the entrance is a window that gives the outside.

The “stua”: is the traditional all-wood paneled room, where there is large stove in high-quality green ceramic and white decorations. This was the living room, but there was also a bed. Here slept the elder of the family, because it was heated.

All rooms are furnished with antique furniture and linens. In addition to the museum display on this floor there is a multimedia and the hall of memories, which contains photos and historical objects.

The barn

The barn is on the top floor It is spacious and bright and it can be reached either through the original wooden staircase of the house either directly from the outside. It was converted into a spacious conference room, which can be also used as a place for temporary exhibitions.

Part of this plan has been left as it was originally, to give visitors the opportunity to understand how this part was used, and it is divided by a glass door from the conference room. Here there are an old sled and a machine for cutting hay.

In this floor there is also the room for the boys working in the mill.